1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector with a retainer.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,565 and FIG. 10 herein disclose a connector with a side-type retainer. With reference to FIG. 10, the connector includes terminal fittings 1 mounted in cavities 2 of a housing 3. A long narrow retainer insertion hole 4 extends into the bottom surface of the housing 3 transverse to the cavities 2. The terminal fittings 1 are locked in the cavities 2 by fasteners 4 of a retainer 6 that is inserted into the retainer insertion hole 4. Locking pieces 7 at opposite ends of the retainer 6 are inserted into insertion grooves at the opposite sides of the retainer insertion hole 4 and engage a locking section as the retainer 6 is inserted. Thus, the retainer 6 is held in the housing 3.
A disengaging jig can be inserted through an opening of the retainer insertion hole 4 to catch an operable portion 8 of the retainer 6 and to disengage the locking pieces 7 from the locking sections while twistingly withdrawing the retainer 6. Several cavities 2 are arranged side by side to make the connector laterally long, a position where the retainer 6 is withdrawn by the disengaging jig is spaced significantly from locking positions of the locking pieces 7. Consequently, it is more difficult to disengage the locking pieces 7. The present invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to facilitate a detaching operation of a retainer.
The invention relates to a connector with a housing that has cavities for receiving terminal fittings. The housing also has a retainer insertion hole for receiving a retainer that has fasteners for locking the respective terminal fittings. Resiliently deformable locking pieces are provided at the opposite ends of the retainer, and insertion grooves are formed in side surfaces of the housing for receiving the locking pieces. Locking sections are provided at the bottoms of the insertion grooves for engaging the corresponding locking pieces. The bottoms of the insertion grooves cut side surfaces of the cavities, and the locking pieces serve as side walls of the cavities when the retainer is mounted.
The retainer is locked by the locking pieces inserted into the insertion grooves in the side surfaces of the housing. Thus, the retainer can be detached and freed from its locked state by directly resiliently deforming the locking pieces. Thus, an operation of detaching the retainer is facilitated.
The insertion grooves are formed in the side surfaces of the cavities and the locking pieces serve also as the side walls of the cavities. Thus, the housing is narrower.
Each insertion groove preferably has a protecting wall for covering a part of the insertion groove near the locking section from outside. Thus, the locking pieces will not be struck by another member and inadvertently disengaged from the locked state.
Each protecting wall preferably has a jig insertion opening through which a disengaging jig can be inserted. The disengaging jig can be inserted through the jig insertion opening in the protecting wall to catch and deform the corresponding locking piece, thereby disengaging the locking piece.
The jig insertion opening preferably is formed by cutting away a portion of the protection wall.
The ends of the locking pieces and the ends of the insertion grooves preferably are engaged with each other by a dovetail engaging construction. Thus, the locking pieces cannot warp away from one another.
The retainer preferably is partly mountable at a position where the fasteners are retracted from the cavities to permit the insertion and withdrawal of the terminal fittings into and from the cavities. Thus, operability can be improved.
The retainer preferably can be held at the position where the fasteners are retracted from the cavities by engaging the locking pieces with locking portions on the housing.
The terminal fittings preferably are locked in the cavities by locks in the cavities. Each lock preferably engages the terminal fitting in a position spaced along the inserting direction of the terminal fitting from the position where the retainer engages the terminal fitting.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.